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The last 14lb (on a tight schedule)
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
So since I started the gym, I have lost two stone, which I'm kinda happy about...
However, now my weight loss seems to have gotten slower (I only lost 4lb since January), which is annoying me a bit...
My life is really busy at the moment... Some days I don't get time to eat and am ashamed to say I have resorted to chips as I'm really hungry... Not having time to cook is becoming an issue two to three nights per week and some weeks I can only get to the gym two or three times...
I don't know if I'm hitting a plateau, or if I am just stopping losing weight... I have 14lb to my target weight, which I'd like to lose in the summer and I have started running on top of my usual work out.
The fact is that I am getting tired... I don't think I am eating as well as I should due to being so busy constantly (I know as a vegan, I have to be more careful and I am taking supplements, but may not always get enough calories)...
So I just want any ideas of how to get rid of the last 14lb, around being really busy... If that is possible at all!
I have resolved to cut out the chips and am going to make sure I always carry a Trek Bar (a healthy snack type thing that releases energy slowly), in case I don't have time for a meal. I'm also not drinking alcohol, as of tomorrow am avoiding refined sugars and will start running in the morning on top of my afternoon work out.
However, now my weight loss seems to have gotten slower (I only lost 4lb since January), which is annoying me a bit...
My life is really busy at the moment... Some days I don't get time to eat and am ashamed to say I have resorted to chips as I'm really hungry... Not having time to cook is becoming an issue two to three nights per week and some weeks I can only get to the gym two or three times...
I don't know if I'm hitting a plateau, or if I am just stopping losing weight... I have 14lb to my target weight, which I'd like to lose in the summer and I have started running on top of my usual work out.
The fact is that I am getting tired... I don't think I am eating as well as I should due to being so busy constantly (I know as a vegan, I have to be more careful and I am taking supplements, but may not always get enough calories)...
So I just want any ideas of how to get rid of the last 14lb, around being really busy... If that is possible at all!
I have resolved to cut out the chips and am going to make sure I always carry a Trek Bar (a healthy snack type thing that releases energy slowly), in case I don't have time for a meal. I'm also not drinking alcohol, as of tomorrow am avoiding refined sugars and will start running in the morning on top of my afternoon work out.
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Comments
Have a glass of water and an apple and an orange or similar before every meal, or while you're waiting for them to heat up.
Aim for 8-10 portions of fruit and veg a day.
you also have to bare in mind, muscle does weigh a lot heavier than fat. This means that if you are going to the gym, running, generally working out a lot, the fat is going to be turning into muscle. Which may explain why you weight lose is slowing down.
Cutting down your calories majorly is also not going to aid your weight lose either. It doesnt make much sence does it? well it didnt to me at first! of course you have to be carful about the amount of calories you eat, but your body needs to have enough fuel to be able to carry on burning of fats. so you really need to be careful about how much you are cutting out, and it is so important to try and get those three healthy meals a day.
I currently on a weight lose diet too, and have been part of weight watchers and this is were i have got all the info above from.
just likekatralla said it is also good, i have found, to keep the fridge and cupboards stocked with healthy, nutritous foods, that will fill you up and keep you full up for longer. This means you dont end up snacking on rubbish. For example i always have a good selection of fruit to chomp on through the day if im hungry, crackers are a snack. Porrige with fruit for breakfast to fill you up and keep you going through the day etc.
I really hope this helps, I no it has for me anyway...
I had hit a plateau for AGES before i tried this.
Its easy to underestimate your calorie intake and overestimate your exertion, and then wonder why youre not losing.
Saying that, the last few lbs is always the hardest to lose, and its better to have a goal weight range, rather than a specific amount.
As an example I carry about 8-10lb more muscle than an "average" man of my height, which means that I should add that much to my target weight to take it into account. It might not be so much in your case, but it might turn 14lb into 8-10lb, which is much easier to do.
AS you get closer to your target weight smaller over-consumption of calories can make quite a bit of difference, so you might want to think about counting calories for a few weeks to see what happens.
Gonna start taking notes of everything I eat and how much the machines say I am burning... So I can see where I'm going. Tbh, I have had a few treats and lazy days recently (free vegan cake last weekend, we don't get cake often
I currently tend to do weight machines (i.e. leg pressing 50KG with three sets of fifteen, or assisted pull ups and free weights), core exercises, plus around 30 minutes running on treadmill and 20 on cross ramp, which I shift around every 2-3 months.
I also train with kettlebells and have been doing a course on that... I kinda wonder if maybe, I have had a beginner's growth spurt of muscle, which slowed me down the past 2 months.
I'm hoping to take the running on to the roads when the weather gets less shitty. :cool: Before, I used to get really upset and frustrated about losing weight... I'd feel embarrassed to go out... Now, I am far more performance focussed as well and would like to eventually do a marathon. But still wanna trim down to make running easier (and to look athletic).
I'm consuming around 1500 calories per day, but have been struggling to get to the gym due to other commitments. Surely I should have shed something, tho I haven't had time to exercise (around 2-3 times a week :no: )...
I have started running, as it's easier to fit in to a busy schedule... I can only run 5K so far...
Getting a bit annoyed by it all tho... But saying that, I have had a couple of drinking sessions
How tall are you? Im 5ft 6, and if i want to lose 0.5lb a week, i need to stick to under 1300 net cals a day.
Running is good exercise. if youre trying to lose weight, then cardio stuff like that is much better than weights, which will build muscle and make you actually weigh more
Are you sure 1300 is enough? You might be using your resting weight there... If you eat too little calories, your body may stop burning fat, as it'll go in to starvation mode... Saying that, if it has worked for you, it may work for me... I'm sure I can lose 200 calories somewhere...
I'm cutting back on my commitments, as I am literally exhausted and doing too much. This often affects my work outs, as some days I leave the house at 8am and get home around 10pm... Not good. >.< I just wanna spend at least some time, being me.
1300 isnt an unhealthy amount Its definitely not a starvation diet. I could easily eat a lot more though if i let myself.
for your height and weight, if your work day to day is mainly sedentry, then youll burn roughly 1750 cals a day.
if you want to lose weight, you'll need a calorie deficit of around 500cals a day, which you can either do by exercising hard or by eating less.
Never go under 1200 cals if possible for any length of time (the odd occasion is fine) but if you want to lose, id probably try and stick to 1200-1300 cals a day.
its not easy especially if youre eating takeaway chips, although small portions of oven chips arent bad, and drinking alcohol is the fastest way to pile on the pounds.
As i recommended before, maybe try myfitnesspal, as it makes it really easy to track your food and your exercise and see where you could make tweaks. It also records protein, fibre, sodium, etc etc to make sure youre actually nourishing yourself too.
i think those bars sound good as a meal replacement, but they look quite high cal for a snack, and it doesnt take many high cal snacks to go way over your limit.
I'm using the calorie calculator on Livestrong to measure my calorie intake and Fetcheveryone for my exercise.
What I will say, Namaste, (which is linked to the above) is that if you want to lose body fat and keep it off, you're going to have to: a) do it slowly, and b) do it in a sustainable way. Dropping your calorie intake drastically and going to the gym lots will make you lose body fat, but as soon as you slip even a little bit, your body will pile it back on (as you've noticed). It's much healthier to develop a 'lifestyle' than to cram in exercise and spend half your time adding up calories - and it leaves you much more time to actually enjoy your life, too.
In terms of the time issue, I spend my Sunday afternoons cooking up a storm and freeze half of what I make. Soups, as katralla said, are great to heat up and very cheap if you make them yourself. I also make massive batches of smoothies and drink those for breakfast - you can bung some in a flask/bottle and take it with you for the day if you're in a real hurry. One-pot stews, curries, lots of meals can be frozen, or you could make a big salad and split it into tupperwares to take to work/wherever with you over the course of a couple of days. If i didn't pre-prepare most of my meals, I'd eat TERRIBLY. But once I've spent time making something delicious, it feels awful to let it go to waste. You might find that you end up making time to enjoy it!
thats average Some will need a lot more, and some a lot less.
if I eat 2000 cals a day, unless im doing some serious exercise, i gain weight. Fact. That means im taking in more calories than i need and storing it as fat.
Most people are taking in more calories than they are exerting.
I didnt lose much when i was going to the gym 4 times a week, because i was hungry afterwards and pretty much ate back what id worked off, and probably more.
You can make all the healthy stews and curries you like, and thats all fab nutritionwise, but Namaste was asking how to shed the last few pounds.
My dad for example is always going on about healthy food, makes everything from scratch, uses olive oil etc, but hes pretty much obese because he just eats too much of it
she hasnt piled it back on
I haven't gained any weight, just not lost it... Even over the months of November and December, where I let myself go, I didn't gain.
You can't out walk your fork, and you can't out gym food whims...